RABINDRANATH TAGORE

Born: May 7, 1861, Died: August 7, 1941

CHAPATER – IV

 The Concept of Universal Man

 Aims of Education
 Integral Development
 Physical Development
 Mental Development
 Harmony with Environment
 Education and livelihood
 Theory and Practice
 Santiniketan
 Visva – Bharati
 Tagore’s comprehensive system
 Freedom
 Freedom and growth
 Education for the rural folk – Siksha
 Natural Environmental
 Need for social Environment
 Medium of Instruction
 Reviving the rural institutions
 Critical estimate

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 CHAPTER IV

RABINDRANATH TAGORE

Among the contemporary Indian Philosophers of Education Rabindranath

Tagore, holds eminent position. He may be called as a Humanist in the strict sense of

the term. His humanist approach is not materialistic but integral in nature. His

philosophy is Cosmopolitan Humanism and his theory of education is directly deduced

from this philosophy.

The Concept of Universal Man

Tagore Philosophy of Education cannot be understood with out understanding

his Meta Physical theory. In this theory the concept of universal man is very important.

Referring to universal man as the ultimate reality Rabindranath elaborates the concept.

He says – truth is the infinite pursed by science, while reality is the definite of the

infinite, which relates truth to the person. Reality is human, it is what we are conscious

of, by which we are affected, that which we express. 92

According to Tagore this universal man is known by the individual not through

direct realization. He says “Reality, in all its manifestations reveals it self in the

emotional and imaginative back ground of our mind. We know it, not because we think

of it, but because we directly feel it. It is not vanished from our conscious mind.93

The concept of universal man in his philosophy agrees with the cosmic vision of

divine in Gita. The universal man is at the back of all movements, all change, all order

92
Meogi. P (Ed). Rabindranath Tagore on Art and Aesthetics. P.76
93
Tagore R.N. The Religion of man. (London: George Allen & unwin 1932). P.130

58
and system in the universal. Man is very much a part of him. Man and nature cannot be

conceived separate from god. The universel man includes both. 94

Rabindranath himself says: I have never looked at god, man and nature as

problems which can be considered in isolation from each other. I could never conceive

of their occupying watertight compartments.95

According to Tagore this universal man is in every individual person. He lives

even in the humblest man. Therefore we should not neglect even the most poor, illiterate

and humble human being. He said “He is there where the tillers are tilling the hard

ground and where the path maker is breaking stones. He is with them in sun and in

shower and his garment is covered with dust. Put off the holy mantle and even like him

come down on the dusty soil.96

For Rabindranath personality is not something limited and mundane but also

unlimited and supramundane, while in the human being it is found in the first form in

universal man it may be seen in the second meaning.

Tagore, explaining this meaning of the universal man said “This personality

which is the conscious principle of oneness, the centre of relationships is the reality –

therefore the ultimate object of attainment. I must emphasize this fact, that this world is

a real world only in its relation to a central personality”97.

According to Tagore god is the perfect person. Human beings are persons in an

imperfect sense. While man is an individual god, god is universel man. He is the

94
Indian philosophy of education . p117
95
Tagore R.N. ‘Amar Dharma’
96
Tagore R.N. gitanjali song 11 (London, Macmillan & co1962).
97
Tagore R.N. personality (London, Macmillan & co1954). P.98

59
supreme person. This supreme person is in two forms, Saguna and Nirguna. Both are

two aspects of the same universel man god is the perfect idea type of man. He possesses

human qualities. Tagore says, “all human qualities find their suggestion in god”98.

God has even the trait of action which is characteristically human. Action must

be attributed to him, otherwise how could he give himself?99 He is the meeting ground

of man and the world. It is in him alone that human beings exchange their experiences.

Aims of Education

Rabindranath gives spiritual approach to Education. He considers that the aim of

education is self realization. Self realization according to Rabindranath means the

realization of the universal soul in ones self. Man’s aim in life is to achieve this status. It

is a process which cannot be realized with out education.

Rabindranath does not find any dichotomy between thought and life, Philosophy

and education. He believes many contemporary Indian philosophers like Gandhi, swami

Vivekananda that every one is potentially divine and every one can realize this

potentiality.

Tagore’s philosophy is very much influenced by the Indian scriptures like the

Gita and the Upanishads. However he is also very much influenced by the western

classical and modern educational thought like swami Vivekananda, he synthesizes the

ancient vedanthic tradition with the modern scientific attitude in formulating the goal of

education.

98
Man p 28
99
Karma yoga. Santiniketan XIII series.

60
Integral Development

Elaborating the aims of education, Rabindranath says “the fundamental purpose

of education is not merely to enrich ourselves through the fullness of knowledge, but

also to establish the bond of love and friendship between man and man”100.

Thus, Tagore approach to education is humanistic and his approach to ultimate

reality is integral. He believes in an inner harmony among man and nature and god.

They are in fact three aspects of the same reality. In man, again the physical, mental and

the spiritual aspects are equally important and internally related. Therefore, like

Aurobindo, Rabindra Nath believes in a multi sided education with physical, intellectual

moral and religious aims.101

Physical Development

According to Rabindranath, education of the body in the real sense , does not

exist in play and experience but in applying the body systematically to some useful

work.102

Pointing out the value of physical activities in the child’s education he says

“even if they learnt nothing they would have had ample time for play climbing trees

diving into ponds, plucking and tearing flowers, perpetrating thousand and one

mischief’s on mother nature, they would have obtained the nourishment of the body,

happiness of mind and the satisfaction of the natural impulse of childhood.103

100
Bharateeya viswa vidyalaya. Adarsa. Siksa (1342) BSEd. P270.
101
Indian philosophy of education. P119
102
Tagore R.N. Alochana. July 1925.
103
Siksa ( 1342 ) B.S.Ed. P.2

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 As a poet, Tagore realizes the life giving value of natures contact with man.

About the child’s contact with the nature he says, “I speak in very moderate terms.

Seven years till then let the child have nothing to do with clothes and shame. Till then

let nature alone conduct the indispensable education of the savage104.

Almost all contemporary Indian philosophers of education, including Gandhi,

Vivekananda, Dayananada and Aurobindo besides, lay emphasis upon the importance of

setting educational institutions in natural environment, so that the educands may learn

by their touch with nature.105

Mental Development

Like swami Vivekananda he also critical for the present system of education.

This gives importance to book learning. Criticizing this attitude he says “we touch the

world not with our mind, but with our books.”106

Tagore thinks that intellectualism takes us away from nature and creates a gulf

between man and man. In fact, the intellectual aim of education, according to

Rabindranath is the development of the intellectual faculties such as logical thinking,

critical appraisal and assimilation.

Two mental faculties which should be developed through education are the

power of thinking and the power of imagination. He criticizes present system of

education. Which puts too much stress on memory and too little on imagination and

thinking. He suggests “Ever since childhood, instead of putting the entire burden on the

104
Ibid p 84.
105
Indian philosophy of education. P 120
106
Siksa P. 90

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memory. The power of thinking and the power of imagination should also be given

opportunities for free exercise.107

Harmony with Environment

The student must learn to live in harmony with the environment. Rabindranath

says “True education consists in knowing the use of any useful material that has been

collected, to know its real nature and to build along with life a real shelter for life”108.

Through education, the student should imbibe cultural heritage and should be

able to use it in the inter action with the environment. Elaborating the concept of

education, he says, “if we believe that the chief aim of education for an Indian, is to be

initiated into this unique pursuit of India, then we must constantly remember that neither

the education of the senses nor the education of the intellect, but the education of the

feeling should receive the place of honor in our schools…our true education is possible

only in the forest, through intimate contact with nature and purifying austere pursuits.”
109

Education and livelihood

Though Tagore does not want to make education an instrument for earning bread

alone, he admits that bread earning is a necessary part of any sound goal of education.

Tagore says “knowledge has two departments, one is pure knowledge and the

other is utilitarian knowledge, Whatever is worth knowing is knowledge. It should be

107
Siksar Herpher. P. 8
108
Ibid
109
Siksha (1342. b.s.) p 145

63
known equally by man and woman, not from practical utility, but for the sake of

knowing …The desire to knowing is the law of human nature.110

To learn necessary skills for bread earning he says “From the very beginning

such education should be imparted to them (Village folks) that they may know well

what mass welfare means and may become practically efficient in all respects for

earning their livelihood.111

Tagore was critical about the early goals of education of the British which

wanted to create clerks out of the Indian educated class. He emphasized that the real aim

of education should be to develop men and women who may be able to fulfill the needs

of the country. He said one of the main aims of education is to prepare the individual for

the service of the country.112

THEORY AND PRACTICE

Rabindra Nath Tagore was not merely a thinker and dreamer. He put in to

Practice, his educational ideas by starting three institutions, Sriniketan, Viswabharathi

and Sri Niketan. Explaining educational Trinity in the educational philosophy of

Rabindranath, S.S Sinha writes, “Santiniketan, Visva Bharati and sriniketan may be said

to constitute Tagore’s educational trinity through which he endeavored to develop his

educational theme in three different complementary directions. The school came first in

the field and was far away the most important as it embodied all the poets’ main

110
Siksha 1351 Ed. Vol. P 151
111
Swadhin Siksha P. 522
112
Rabindra Rachanavali Vol. XII. P 517

64
teachings about education. The three institutions thus displayed a discernible pattern of

growth and expansion, illustrating their underlining creative unity. 113

Santiniketan

The most important in this trinity is the Santhiniketan. About the idea of it he

wrote to sri. J. C. Bose.

I am trying to start a school at santiniketan. It will be conducted just on the lines

of Residential institutions of ancient times. There shall not be the least trace of luxury.

We shall not be able to become true Hindus if we do not learn rigid Brahmacharya.

Frivolity and luxury are degenerating us wants of all descriptions are over-powering us

only because we are failing to accept poverty with equanimity. 114

Santiniketan was started on a small scale with a school and boarding house. It

was called as, Brahmacharyasram and inaugurated on 22nd of December 1901. Its aim

was to provide all round development of the students. In brief, it was the student’s own

world in which they themselves managed every thing and developed through this

experiment. Explaining this pattern of school education Rabindranath says. “I always

try to impress upon their minds that are their own world, upon which their life ought

fully and freely to react. In the school administration they have their place and in the

matter of punishment we mostly rely upon their own court of Justice.”115

113
Siksha. S.S. Social thinking of Rabindranath Tagore
(Bombay, Asia Publishing house 1962). P 34
114
Sabuj patra. Vol. ii (Srava 9, 1308 B.S) P.30
115
Tagore R.N.Personality. P. 146.

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Visvabharati

Tagore travelled widely in Europe and Asia. He felt the need of harmony and

good will and mutual understanding of eastern and western culture. Both the east and

the west have much to give and take. He wanted to build up an educational institution

for integrating the East and the west. Such a place was developed in the form of

Visvabharati at santiniketan.

Explaining the aim and function of visvabharati. Rabindranath said

Being strongly impressed with the need and responsibility, which every

individual must today realize according to his power, I have formed the nucleus of an

international university in India, as one of the best means of promoting mutual

understanding between the East and the West. This institution, according to the plan I

have in mind, invites students from the west and the east to study the different systems

of Indian philosophy, literature, art and music in their proper environment encouraging

them to carry on research work in collaboration with the scholars already engaged in the

task.”116

Thus viswabharati was developed as a centre of Indian culture, Eastern culture,

international culture and center for mass welfare and rural reconstruction. This ideal is

being realized through the efforts of both the teachers and the students.117

116
Tagore R.N. An eastern university. P 2
117
Indian philosophy of Education. P 123.

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Tagore’s comprehensive system

Through his education trinity Rabindranath aims to develop an ideal educational

system in India. G.R Sharma rightly says “His aim of education is one of the most

comprehensive including various aspects of human personality and different strata of

Indian society and the world community. He lays emphasis on physical, mental, moral,

religious, spiritual, in fact all the aspects of man’s education”.118

The curriculum in Tagore’s educational institutions is not fixed but changes

according to the needs of the students. His only emphasis is on life, life of the individual

of the rural masses of the poor Indians and that of man as a member of an international

community.119

Freedom

Rabindranath believes in complete freedom of all types. Freedom of intellectual

decision, knowledge, action and worship. This freedom can be achieved by the practice

of equanimity, harmony and balance.

Education, according to Rabindranath is a progress of self realization. This self

realization in the attachment of freedom, when intelligence, feeling and determination

work freely. It is not the absence of control but self control, once it is achieved there is

no danger of straying from the right path because the senses, intelligence, emotions,

feelings and mental powers of the educated person are guided by his own self.120

118
R.N. Sharma, Indian philosophy of Education. P 123.
119
Ibid
120
Indian philosophy of education. P 124

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 Tagore thinks that ideal educational system should aim at man’s perfection.

Perfection means the development of all aspects of human personality. The sole aim of

education is development of human personality. “This again should be realized on a

universal scale since unless the individual acquires an abiding faith in the universal soul,

he cannot realize itself. Thus education should lead to the realization of universal

man. 121

Freedom and growth

Rabindranath tries to utilize the buildings of modern western educational

psychology as well as the ancient wisdom of India. According to him, educational

process is mainly functional with activity as its basis. Teacher and the taught must be

always active and both learning and practice should go together.

Rabindranath is against corporal punishment. Discipline through rod is not at all

necessary in educational institutions. Use of it leads to depression and humiliation.

Rabindranath observes “I have a deep rooted conviction that only through

freedom can man attain his fullness of growth.”122 He thinks discipline in the schools

should be self imposed. The educands are allowed to commit mistakes and learn

through them.

Rabindranath was also against the present system of educational evaluation. He

also feels that invigilation is unnecessary and the examinees may themselves take their

question papers and answer them.

121
Ibid
122
Tagore R.N. The school master modern Review October 1924

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EDUCATION FOR THE RURAL FOLK – SIKSHA

Satra experiment

The siksha satra experiment of Sriniketan embodies Tagore’s idea of a rural

institute. Its purpose is to serve and Train the rural people. Hence its structure and aims

are different from Santiniketan.

Rabindranath had personal experience of the difficulties and problems of the

rural people and he was convinced of the need of education among the villagers. He

realized that a universal education is very much necessary for the regeneration of the

Indian villages.

To fulfill these needs he started siksa-satra experiment at sriniketan. This

experiment was based on the fairth that, ‘given the right tools and organizations the

villagers can help themselves upward by development based on research and by a

welfare programme based upon the study of human need in every village in India.123

Siksa satra experiment was started to fulfill the needs of education in rural areas.

It sought to realize the ideal of rural education and rural welfare. It wanted to reform the

rural society and at the same time it wanted to teach the villagers the methods and

techniques of farming and other vocations. In brief its aim is integrated development of

rural people.

Natural Environment

Rabindranath gave importance to the environment. All contemporary

educational psychologists give importance to natural environment. It is through the

123
Elmhirst.L. Sriniketan, Visva-Bharati-quarterly (1955) P.4

69
natural environment that the child trains the senses by contact with plants and trees,

flowers and leaves.

Education according to Rabindranath should be imparted “in an institution

where the first great lesson is the perfect union of man and nature, not only through love

but through active communication, it can be had unobstructed.124

Like Aurobindo, Rabindranath maintains that the teaching of different subjects

may be made natural through the intelligent utilization of the child’s environment. For

example, the Childs knowledge of science may be helped for observation of insects and

animals, plants and trees, stars and moon and Sun. Similarly emotional of aesthetic

training is helped by his observation and appreciation of forms and colours and

movements in nature .The natural environment richly contributes to the development of

the child’s sense organs and mind. His creative power is expressed through his contact

with natural objects. His extra-curricular activities in a natural environment results in

the development of different virtues.125

Tagore points out to the gulf between bookish knowledge and the child’s

environment. Tagore laments that the current education does not help in making the

learner either an efficient worker or a good citizen. He says “it is not enough for a

farmer boy only to grow into a good farmer, but he should also grow into a good citizen

of the country”.126

124
Tagore R. N. ‘A poets school’ Visva Bharati Bulletin no 9. (1928) P.8
125
Indian philosophy of education. P 126
126
Rabindranath Rachanavali. Vol. XII. P516

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Need for social Environment

For the development of the child both natural and social environment are

needed. The social environment makes the surroundings of the children in which they

fulfill their needs and drives and develop their beliefs and ideas. The impact of the

relationship between the educator and the educand is the one-hand and the educand and

his companions of the other. If this relationship is based upon love, sympathy and

mutual understanding the educand easily develops moral virtues. 127

Medium of Instruction

Almost all contemporary Indian philosophers of education pleaded for the

adoption of mother tongue as the medium of child’s education and Tagore also held

similar opinion. He observes, “If education does not enter into the deeper strata of the

society and does not attain permanence through mingling with the living stream of the

mother tongue, then, however, much it may bubble up and dance like foam on the

surface, it can only become an object of temporary beauty but can never become a

lasting foundation of life.128

India needs education on a large scale particularly technical and vocational

education. Unless our education institutions adopt regional languages and national

language as medium of instruction and unless sufficient books are available in these

languages, the aim of universal education in India cannot be realized.129

127
Indian philosophy of education. P. 127
128
Rabindra nath Rachanavali. Vol. P618
129
Indian philosophy of education. P127

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Reviving the Rural Institutions

Rabindranath is in favour of reviving the old rural institutions in the villages. He

gave importance to community entertainment programmes and singing of religious

Kirtans and Bhajans. These are very much useful in giving the people entertainment and

at the same time imparting moral and religious education.

The community fairs organized in villages from time to time is also means of

education. These fairs also give scope for exchange of skills in vocational trades. To

make the education mass oriented the means of education should also be indigenous and

easily available in the rural areas.

Critical estimate

In Rabindranath’s philosophy of education man is the center of all his thinking-

his philosophy religion, literature, poetry, social activities and educational programmes.

He is a humanist in the real sense. He is not a naturalistic humanist. He can be

considered as an integral humanist.130

Tagore did not deny the need of reason but believes that there is something

higher than reason in men. He does not think that science alone can deliver the goods.

There by it does not mean that he has not accepted the efficacy of science.

Tagore is a nationalist, but at the same time he is a true internationalist. To him

the ultimate God is the universal man and the only aim of all the man’s activities was

the realization of this god. His aim is universal regeneration and his educational system

is a means to achieve this aim. Tagore therefore, bases his educational system on

130
Indian philosophy on Education. P 128.

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essential human virtues such as freedom, purity, sympathy, perfection and universal

brotherhood.131 Like other Indian thinkers of his time he opposed British system of

education. He felt that those who are educated through English medium got alienated

from the people. He felt the children should be taught in their mother tongue which

helps the students to understand the subjects easily and learn quickly.

Tagore wanted to build up educational institutions with these noble ideals. He

wanted to remove the defects of the then existing educational system which was

introduced by the British government. He studied different problems of Indian society

particularly that of the rural people and tried to remove them through education. His

educational system was a synthesis of east and west ancient and modern and happy

blend of science and Vedanta. It is because of its noble vision, national leaders like

Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and other eminent educationalists considered

Viswabharati as the true representative of India.

Humanyun kabir, one of the eminent writers and thinkers of modern India wrote

“Rabindranath Tagore was one of the greatest humanists that the world has known. The

keynote of his life was resistance to tyranny in all forms. He struggled against economic

exploitation, political subjugation, social inertia and injustice and religious intolerance

and insensitiveness”.132

The humanism of Rabindranath is generally expressed in his literature. In his

works he laid emphasis upon the uniqueness of the human individual, his greatness in

the world of living beings and his intimate relationship with nature and god.

131
Ibid p 128.
132
Bhattacharya-k. Rabindranath on Religion.
Homage from visvaBharati (Santiniketan 1962) P.32

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 Tagore’s educational philosophy is no less an example of his humanism than his

literature and religious writings. He tried to build up an ideal educational system and

experimented in all its branches such as aims, medium, means, curriculum

administration and extracurricular activities.

G.R. Sharma rightly observes, “the literature of Tagore and said one may not

agree with the details of his educational system and may not accept all of it but none can

deny that it was a bold attempt based upon a very comprehensive philosophy and with

the most human intention of developing perfect men and women, citizen of a world

community.”133

133
Indian philosophy of education. P 129

74